Tellurium price
Tellurium is a brittle, silvery metalloid recovered from copper refining. It is sold as 99.95% to 99.99% metal (and higher purities for electronics). About 70% of it goes into cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar panels.
By RareMetals.net Editorial Team · Prices checked
Current tellurium price
- China, Oct 8, 2026
- about $105/kg
- China 99.99% (SMM)
- Outside China, Nov 2, 2026
- $114-120/kg
- Rotterdam $113.50/kg (SMM, 8 Oct); US spot $120/kg (Daily Metal Price, 2 Nov)
Sources: SMM bismuth and tellurium, 8 Oct 2026; Daily Metal Price, 2 Nov 2026. Minor-metal and rare earth markets are thin and assessments differ by provider, so ranges are shown. Yuan prices converted at 6.6 yuan per US dollar.
Last supplier list price on file: $197.60/kg (Metal, Te, min. 99.99%; TRADIUM, ). This list is out of date and is shown for reference only.
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Tellurium price history, 2021-2025 (USGS)
Annual averages from the U.S. Geological Survey, the latest official series. They show the trend up to 2025; compare them with the current prices above.
| Year | Tellurium, Europe (99.99%, Rotterdam) | Tellurium, US warehouse (99.95%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $67 | $70 |
| 2022 | $68 | $70 |
| 2023 | $77 | $79 |
| 2024 | $82 | $75 |
| 2025e | $150 | $120 |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026.
What moves the tellurium price?
China’s export controls
Since February 2025 Chinese exporters must prove the end user and end use of tellurium shipments; licences took about 45 days. The European average price rose 84% to about $150/kg in 2025 (USGS), then eased to about $105-120/kg by October 2026.
Solar panels
Solar cells took about 70% of tellurium in 2025, thermoelectric devices 15%, metallurgy 10% and other uses 5% (USGS). New CdTe module factories in the US raise demand.
Copper refining
More than 90% of tellurium comes from copper anode slimes, so supply depends on electrolytic copper output. China supplies about 80% of refined tellurium.
Where tellurium comes from
| Country | Output |
|---|---|
| China | 800 |
| World total (reported countries) | ~1,000 |
Several producing countries do not publish reliable data, so world output is an estimate.
Tellurium price FAQ
How much is tellurium worth per kg?
The current price is about $105/kg in China (Oct 8, 2026) and $114-120/kg outside China (Nov 2, 2026). In 2025 the average was about $150/kg in Europe and $120/kg in US warehouses (USGS).
Why did tellurium prices rise in 2025?
China, which produces about 80% of refined tellurium, began requiring end-user documents for exports in February 2025, which slowed supply to Europe while solar demand kept growing. Prices eased in 2026 as licensed shipments resumed.
What is tellurium used for?
Mainly cadmium telluride thin-film solar panels, plus bismuth telluride thermoelectric coolers and generators, free-machining steel and copper alloys, and rubber vulcanising.
Who produces the most tellurium?
China, with about 800 of roughly 1,000 tons of refined tellurium in 2025. It is a by-product of copper refining.
Related prices
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